Car-coupling.



PATENTBD JUNE'sO, 190s.

0.. s. PULLIAMT GAR COUPLING.-

APPLIUATIOH FILED OO'I. 27, 1902. I

no IODEL.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

oswALD s. PULLIAM,-oFsT. LOUIS,MISSOURI.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,441, dated June 30, 1903.

Application filed October 27, 1902- Serial No. 129,030. (No model.)

ing is a full, clear, and exact description, refer-- ence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in car-couplings, and has for its object the construction of a coupling in which the knuckleretaining member may be readily moved to disengage it from the tail of the knuckle when strain is exerted thereagainst.

A further object of my invention is to provide a rotatable retaining member by which the tail of the knuckle is swung outwardlyon the movement of the member subsequent to its disengagement from the knuckle-tail.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction by which the knuckle-retaining member will be disengaged from the knuckle-tail in the event of the draw-head becoming. disconnected from its fastening,-

thereby obviating the withdrawal of the coupling from the car and the subsequent deposit thereof on the railway-track, which is liable to cause derailment of car-wheels passing thereover.

The invention'consistsin features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a horizontal section of my coupling. Fig. II is a vertical section. Fig. III is a perspective view of the rotatable knuckle retaining member.

1 designates the draw-bar of the coupling, and 2 its head.

3 is the knuckle, having a tail 4.

5 designates a circular cavity in the coupling-head in the path of travel of the knuckletail 4. V e

6 is a crescent; shaped or cam retaining member loosely and oscillatively positioned in the circular cavity 5 and adapted to be rotated vertically in said cavity to engage the knuckle-tail 4. The retaining member is provided with a slot 7, that receives a link 8, which is secured at one end to the member by a pin 9. (See Fig. 11.)

10 is the crank-arm of a rocking rod,to which arm the link 8 is connected. The rocking rod -is mounted in a-bracket 11, mounted on the upper one of a pair of buifer-sills A. p

The crescent-shaped or cam retaining member is designed to be rotated vertically in the circular cavity 5 and when rotated in the forward direction passes in front of the knuckle-tail, as seen in full lines, Fig. II, thereby carrying the knuckle-tail rearwardly and effectually closing the knuckle. When a strain is exertedrupon the knuckle by that of a mating coupler, the force exerted against the retaining member is transverse to the axis of said member, and therefore the member is not rotated by the pressure of the knuckletail thereagainst. The retaining member being rotatively positioned in the circular cavity 5 is readily oscillated to free it from engagement with the knuckle-tail and permit the tail to swing forwardly in the opening in the knuckle. A rearward oscillation of the retaining memb'ercauses it who moved so that it will pass into the rear of the knuckletail and force the tail forwardly to open the knuckle, so that the parts will assume the positions indicated in dotted lines, Figs. I andII.

The characteristic of merit in my coupler lies in the construction of the parts as described, whereby the knuckle of the coupler.

will be opened in the event of the coupling draw-bar becoming disconnected from its fastoning. In the event of such disconnection the rocking rod'being held to the timbers of to be exerted upon the link 8 when the coupling moves outwardly on being disconnected from its fastenings, and the retaining member 6 is thereby rotated to free the knuckletail and permit the separation otthe couplers interlocked with each other, so that they will be uncoupled previous to the complete withdrawal of-the draw-bar of the coupler and its deposit onto the railway-track to cause by its presence thereon the derailment of the car on which the coupling was previously mounted.

I claim as my invention 1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a head containing a circular cavity, a knuckle having its. tail arranged to traverse said cavity, and a crescent-shaped or cam retainthe car aside from the coupling causes a pull IOU 15 said cavity free of pivotal connection to the surrounding head, and means for rotating said member, substantially as set forth.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination of a head provided with a circular cavity on the interior thereof, a knuckle having a tail arranged to, traverse said cavity, a crescentshaped or cam retaining member positioned in said cavity, and means carried by the car for rotating said member, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

OSWALD S. PULLIAM.

In presence of-- NELLIE V. ALEXANDER, M. P. SMITH. 

